18TH JAN 2013 - Time to let go.

Thank you Julie.

Wishing everyone a very Merry and Peaceful Christmas annd may it continue into 2014.

Take cate all.

Feb. xx

WEEK 19.

Weekly update - another gamble free week. Have had a lovely Christmas so far - peaceful and stress free. It was lovely to have my mum and my son stay over for a few days, waiting on them (and constantly feeding them up)!! They have both gone home now and this morning, I have been thinking about what mini/long terms goals I am going to put in place for the new year.

I have a nice new year's eve planned with my sister - my niece is taking us to a cocktail bar in the afternoon and then back to hers to stay over. Looking forward to it.

My friend is coming later for a drink (or two) and a catch-up. It will be nice to chill out and catch up with her.

Having those urges last week on pay day was in a way, a good reminder of what my high risk situations are, being aware of them and how I can successfully manage them. I have still had no luck with my mobile phone being blocked by my phone provider. I decided in the end to cover all bases and those online sites I had not registered with, I decided to register and then self exclude myself immediately so all blocks remain in place.

Take care all and have a lovely, peaceful and stress free new year.

Feb - Blessed to still be on "The Bright Side of the Road".

Hey Feb,

Great achievement and you should be well proud of yourself 🙂

Lovely to read that normality returning in your life. That's the gift we can give ourselves by abstaining.

Thank you for sharing - real inspiration.

All the best for 2014

Love Sandra x

Thank you Sandra for your continued support. I very much appreciate it.

I will shortly be reaching my one year mark, minus my slip up. I am considering when I get to 18th Jan, I may go from there, counting 12 months and so forth. I feel that this date was so significant for me as this really was my "rock bottom" and I think I would rather remember this date as opposed to my slip up date - that date for me just acts as a reminder of when I lapsed, rather than 18th Jan, when I decided that enough was enough and I wanted to do something positive about it, which was join this site.

I feel that slip really has reinforced what my high risk situations were but more importantly, it has helped me to consider how to manage these situations and not cave in to gambling.

So, in just over two weeks time, I will have been gamble free for one year apart from my slip and I am going to continue to go forward - a good month to do this - Jan through to Dec, to mark another year.

Take care all and hope you have a peaceful and Happy New Year.

Feb.

Hi February well done and wow what an achievement! Thanks for your post. Every time someone posts it helps that little bit more. You should be proud of where you are and hers to 2 weeks from now gamble free! Xxx Joan

Well done and thanks for the post on my thread. Each time someone reads my story I feel more inspired. Here's to 2 weeks from now xx

Feb,

Great to read about your continued progress. One year with only one slip is amazing. I hope we can both march through the whole of 2014 with our head high enjoying life to the max with no gambling whatsoever.

Tomso.

ANOTHER GAMBLE FREE WEEK.

Thank you Strange and Tomso for your kinds words. Much appreciated.

Well, the start of a New Year and time for some mini/long term goals I think:

MINI GOALS FOR NEXT PAY DAY:

1. To take each day as it comes and embrace it

positively.

2. To set up savings cards for Tesco and

Sainsbury's to help towards next Christmas!!

3. To put some money on both savings cards

after I am next paid, no matter how small.

LONG TERM GOALS:

1. To continue to pay ALL bills.

2. To continue to pay back what I owe my sister.

3. To continue to save for next Christmas.

4. To continue to remain gamble free.

So Christmas has come and gone once again and I am pleased to say that it was a "peaceful and enjoyable" one. I know Christmas 2014 is a long way off yet but as us recovering gamblers are often on a tighter budget, I wanted to put plans into place to ease the burden. Remaining gamble free will definitely help me to do this.

I definitely want to start the year off by continuing to "chip away" at my debts, in particular, my gas and, electricity arrears. As I remain gamble free, these debts are continuing to go down. My electric bill which was at one point, nearly £600 in arrears, has now come down to just under £200 and my gas bill which was slightly less than £600, now remains at just £82. in arrears. I think it's good to reflect on these figures as it clearly does show that by staying focused and not gambling any further, you can most certainly reduce your debts. It may take a while but I think the thing to do is to remain patient and remind yourself that each week/month, your debts are decreasing.

Not up to too much this weekend apart from taking my tree down tomorrow. I returned to work yesterday after 13 days annual leave!! I was so glad that I decided to go in though as I managed to get loads done which has now set me up nicely for the full week ahead next week.

Take care all and have a lovely weekend.

Feb - Remaining focused on "The Bright Side of the Road"

Hi Feb,

Thanx for dropping by :-)) my 15hrs sleep yesterday means 4 hrs tonight lol oh well...still better than nothing..

Oh..some lovely goals you set yourself here.. fantastic!! I need to work on mine aswell.

You doing great, and look, next month is a year g free for u, isn't that wonderful?? You are great person with great personality and big heart...you deserve to keep moving on the BRIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD :-))

Keep it up my friend

Day at a time

S xx

Hi Feb,

Thanks for dropping in to say Hi. I've still kept up-to-date with all the diaries (including yours) despite the fact I now post less frequently. Of course, I remember we both started on here around the same time (my last bet was Dec 12 although I came to the forum like you in Jan). It's great to see you doing so well!

Of course, your small blip in August was not ideal, but I think the way you bounced back from it is really commendable. Perhaps you have found this too... over the years my slips have become shorter, sharper and more intense. It is easy to lose control / slip-up for an hour, or a day, but it seems we truly understand the devastating impact that gambling has on us - and cannot maintain that warped version of reality for any period of time.

Wishing you all the best

D123

Hey Feb, so glad to hear you are keeping well and had a good Xmas. I like your goals - I didn't know you could save money with Tesco - great idea!!! Keep strong xxx

Hiya feb. A little late but merry Christmas and happy new year. Glad you are well and had a good Christmas. I think planning ahead is a great idea, will certainly make things easier later on. Keep that clear clever head of yours and everything will keep going in the right direction. Your doing fantastic, lead the way and I will follow. Take care feb.

Hi Feb,

Just a drop by to say hi 🙂

Hope all is good with ya girl ( I know it is actually )..just waiting to you passing by on the bright side of the road:-)

Take care and keep it up!!

S xx

Thanks Dave and Sandra - you are both so kind.

No thoughts of gambling whatsoever, however, watching C.B.B. - sponsored by a gambling casino (to which I have no interest in) just demonstrates how much gambling and advertising for it, has increased tenfold over the last couple of years!!

The best thing to do, is not to get mad at the adverts and take it out on the companies doing it, instead, just look at it straight in the eye and wave it GOODBYE!!! Before you know it, the next advert will be on!

Money is a little tight until I get paid in a week and a half's time but everything is paid and I am not going to starve. I am sure it is like this for lots of people who have not been affected by gambling. The most important thing is that I am content and it feels good.

I will sign off for the night on that good point.

Take care all.

Feb - Remaining patient on "The Bright Side of the Road".

Hey Feb,

Been awhile, glad to hear your doing great! Hang in there and keep on keeping. Thanks for the kind words.

Your friend,

Chicagoguy